Masking ruler



June 30, 1959 c. NAToLl 2,892,437

MASKING RULER Filed Feb. 25, 1958 L'ju lNVENTOR ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent O MASKING RULER Lucille c. Natoli, Riverdale, Md.

Application February 925, 1958, Serial No. 717,357

s claims. (cl. 116-119) This invention relates to a masking ruler, andhas as its primary object the provision of an improved ruler adaptedparticularly for use in line by line copying of columns of figures orthe like including a plurality of transversely movable slides or keyswhereby certain of the indicia to be copied may be masked or blocked outwhen it is not desired to copy certain portions of the media.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a rulerhaving such slides or keys extending along the entire length thereofwhereby any portion of material to be copied may be masked or blockedalong the entire length of the ruler.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a devicewherein when the slides or keys are retracted into the body of theruler, a substantially at ush surface is provided along the length ofthe ruler.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of such a rulerwherein the slides or keys are provided with conveniently accessiblefinger tabs whereby any selected individual slide or slides may be movedas desired. v

An additional object of the invention is the provision of stop meansassociated with the slides or keys whereby complete extension of thekeys from their associated slots is precluded.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangementsof parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fullypointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawingwherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the masking ruler constructed in accordancewith this invention, certain of the slides or keys being shown inextended position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along theline 2-2 of Figure l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along theline 3-3 of Figure 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken susbtantially along the line 4 4 ofFigure 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along theline 5-5 of Figure 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing there is generally indicated at aruler, of any desired length, illustratively twelve inches, which ismarked in the conventional graduation of inches and fractions of inches.One longitudinal edge of the ruler is provided with a recess 11extending between the front and back surfaces 12 and 13 of the ruler,the longitudinal recess being divided by transverse partitions 14 into aplurality of compartments. The number of compartments to the inch are,in the illustrative embodiment herein shown, ten, to correspond with thenumber of figures or symbols per inch in a conventional tabulatingmachine, such as the standard I.B.M. machine, although the number ofpartitions and their associated compartments may be varied in accordancewith the particular type of machine with which the ruler is adapted tobe used.

Each compartment between adjacent partitions 14 contains a key or slide15, which is movable within its associated compartment, and each key 15is provided in its upper surface with a longitudinally extending groove16, throughout a part of its length, which is adapted to be engage by apin 17 carried by the underside of the top surface 12 of the ruler. Thepin 17 serves as a stop to prevent the complete withdrawal of the keyfrom its associated compartment. An upwardly extending finger engaginglug 17 is also carried by each slide or key, so that the keys may beextended individually as desired, as shown in Figure l. When the keysare retracted within their appropriate compartments or recesses, theirouter surfaces, as shown in Figure 4 at 18 are substantially Hush withthe ends 19 of the partition 14, so that the ruler may be utilized inthe conventional manner as for example in drawing a straight line.

In the use and operation of the device, when it is desired to copyselected columns from a group of columns of figures for example, theruler is aligned beneath the horizontally disposed figures in eachselected column, and a selected number of keys 15 are extended by meansof their finger tabs 17 to cover the figure or figures of the column orcolumns which are not to be copied. Obviously any desired arrangement ofextension of keys may be achieved in accordance with the particularnature of the work, and equally obviously the task of copying a selectednumber of columns is simplified by the complete blocking out or maskingof those figures or columns of figures which are not to be copied in thetranscription.

From the `foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided animproved masking ruler which accomplishes all of the objects of thisinvention, and others, including many advantages of great practicalutility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as manymodifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described the combination of arulerhaving a recess extending substan` tially the full length thereofand opening along one edge, a plurality of equidistantly spacedtransverse partitions in said recess dividing said recess into aplurality of compartments and a masking slide extensible and retractablein each compartment each masking element being of -a width substantiallyin excess of the thickness of the partitions whereby upon extension ofadjacent masking elements a substantially continuous mask is provided.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of a rulerhaving a recess extending substantially the full length thereof andopening along one edge, a plurality of equidistantly spaced transversepartitions in said recess dividing said recess into a plurality ofcompartments, a masking slide extensible and retractable in eachcompartment each masking element being of a width substantially inexcess of the thickness of the partitions whereby upon extension ofadjacent masking elements a substantially continuous mask is provided,and stop means precluding complete withdrawal of each slide from itsassociated compartment.

3. In a `device of the character described the combination of a rulerhaving a recess extending substantially the full length thereof andopening along one edge, a plurality of equidistantly spaced transversepartitions in said recess dividing said recess into a plurality ofcompartments, a masking slide extensible and retractable in eachcompartment each masking element being of a width substantially inexcess of the thickness of the partitions whereby upon extension ofadjacent masking elements a substantially continuous mask is provided,stop means precluding complete withdrawal of each slide from itsassociated compartment and finger engaging means on each slidefacilitating the extension thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 955,114Brooks Apr. 12, 1910 1,029,702 Maddock June 18, 1912 1,579,438 CortelyouApr. 6, 1926 1,882,282 Haight Oct. 11, 1932

